Test Drive Gallery: 2022 Lexus NX 350 Luxury

2022 Lexus NX 350 Luxury

Miles driven: 513

Fuel used: 23.0 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 22.3 mpg

Driving mix: 45% city, 55% highway

CG Report Card

Room and Comfort	B
Power and Performance	B
Fit and Finish	A-
Fuel Economy	B-
Value	B-

Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.

Big & Tall Comfort

Big Guy	B
Tall Guy	B-

Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester.

Drivetrain
Engine Specs	275-hp 2.4-liter
Engine Type	turbocharged 4-cyl
Transmission	8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels	AWD

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 22/29/25 (mpg city/highway/combined)

Fuel type: Premium gas required

Base price: $43,025 (not including $1075 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Luxury Package ($7450); 20-inch 20-spoke alloy wheels with silver finish ($1310); power tilt/slide moonroof ($1100); Lexus Digital Key, SmartAccess card key, wireless charger ($450); power rear liftgate ($400)

Price as tested: $54,810

Quick Hits

The great: Luxurious, high-quality interior trimmings; much-improved infotainment interface with lots of high-tech features

The good: New NX lineup offers broad range of powertrains/models and available comfort and technology features; decent interior room for the size

The not so good: Not particularly quiet for a luxury vehicle; observed fuel economy came up short of EPA estimates

More NX price and availability information

CG Says:

Lexus’s provocatively styled compact SUV kicked off its second generation in a big way for the 2022 model year, with the launch of a completely redesigned model that introduces a host of new features—chief among them an all-new (and vastly improved) infotainment interface and a significantly expanded powertrain lineup.

In place of the previous-generation’s NX 300 and hybrid NX 300h models are four new trim levels with new powertrains: the entry-level NX 250, turbocharged NX 350, hybrid NX 350h, and plug-in-hybrid NX 450h+. The NX 250 is powered by a 203-hp 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, while the step-up NX 350 (our test subject here) gets a 275-hp turbo 2.4-liter four. The NX 350h hybrid combines a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with two electric motors for a total system output of 239 horsepower. The NX 450h+ PHEV also uses a 2.5-liter four, but adds a lithium-ion battery pack for a total output of 302 horsepower and an estimated pure-electric driving range of 37 miles.

You can check out our 2022 Lexus NX First Spin report and our test-drive review of an NX 450h+ F Sport model for more information. This particular test vehicle was our first opportunity to evaluate the NX 350 on our home-office turf. The 350’s turbocharged engine supplies satisfying power once its revs rise and the turbo spools up—Lexus claims a 6.6-second 0-60-mph time, which feels about right to us—and the alert 8-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly. However, we didn’t think the engine exhibited a particularly premium feel. It sounded coarse and “groan-y” on cold start-ups, and was a bit noisy in around-town driving as well.

Not surprisingly, the NX 350 is the thirstiest of the NX models; it’s EPA-rated at 22 mpg city/29 highway/25 combined, and in a cold-weather test that consisted of a slight majority of highway driving, our observed fuel economy came up just a bit above the EPA’s city number. The fact that premium fuel is required is also disappointing.

Our 6’6” editor complained that the NX’s cabin is a bit stingy in the headroom department for extra-tall occupants—his head hit the edge of the panoramic sunroof’s housing when he was in the back seat, and felt uncomfortably close to the leading edge of the headliner when he was in the driver’s seat. Most average-height occupants should be fine, however, and they’ll enjoy high-quality cabin materials and impeccable assembly.

Most of our test vehicle’s high-end interior accouterments came courtesy of the Luxury Package, which tacks on a hefty $7450 but adds loads of features and upgrades—among them ambient cabin lighting, upgraded leather upholstery, open-pore wood trim, a 10-inch head-up display, and an upsized 14-inch Lexus Interface touchscreen infotainment display with navigation and voice command.

Though the NX 350 has its charms, we lean toward the NX 350h—the two models’ starting prices are within spitting distance of each other, and the NX 350h will deliver much-improved fuel economy with very little compromise in overall acceleration and driving personality.

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